Drabbles: The Silmarillion and Unfinished Tales by Zdenka  

Sign of the Faithful

Written for tolkien_weekly, prompt "Petrology: obsidian" (Tar-Míriel, OC)

Sauron’s blasphemous temple rises above the towers of Armenelos, its silver dome smeared obsidian-black with smoke. Míriel cannot escape the sight of it anywhere in the city. The black fog seems to settle in her heart also. When Amandil tries to see her, she gives orders to say she is ill.

Zamîn returns with something clasped in her hand. "My lady," she says uncertainly, "he sent this. I didn’t want the King’s Men to see. It’s some Elvish thing –"

A ring, whose twin golden serpents stare at her with gleaming emerald eyes. After a moment Míriel says, "Show him in."

Chapter End Notes

Amandil's ring is the Ring of Barahir.